Erin Hueffner
A baby Red Ackie lizard.
Richard Allen doesn’t just love reptiles. He lives for them.
Growing up, Allen always wanted a pet. But he couldn’t get a dog or cat because of his mom’s allergies. Because reptiles don’t have fur, his mom let him get box turtles, salamanders and newts. When he moved to Wisconsin 25 years ago, he wanted to build his passion for reptiles into a business.
Erin Hueffner
Richard Allen and shop mascot Emoji.
“I had some snakes that accidentally bred. I wasn’t trying to breed them, but I had them together,” says Allen. Once the eggs hatched, he posted them for sale online. “Next thing I know, people are just snatching them up. I sold out right away. So I took the money and bought more, and bred more. That’s how I got started.”
Nine years ago, Reptile Rapture opened in Monona. Shoppers can stop in seven days a week to browse a wide variety of reptiles, from rainbow boas to baby leopard geckos, all lined up in terrariums along the walls. The store sells everything reptile owners need to take good care of their pets, too: foliage to make the habitat more comfortable, special UV lighting and heating elements to keep the temperature just right. And of course, a variety of reptile foods ranging from live crickets for geckos and frozen rodents for snakes to Bearded Dragon Salad Dressing to help finicky bearded dragons eat their greens.
Allen gets some animals as rescues—at least four times a week, he says, people will drop off reptiles they can no longer care for. Those animals go into quarantine for a time to ensure they’re healthy, and then Allen puts them out in the store for adoption.
Reptile Rapture sells only animals that make good pets — you won’t find crocodiles or venomous snakes here, because Allen doesn’t believe in selling dangerous animals to families. He hand-raises all of the reptiles in the store himself, so they’re used to being handled by people.
Should people keep reptiles as pets? It’s hard to say, but looking at health and lifespan, reptiles that are cared for have a long life; if not, they die early.
The most important thing to consider when choosing a reptile, according to Allen, is how to take care of it. To make sure customers get the help they need, Allen created a YouTube channel (search “Reptile Rapture”) and filmed videos about reptile care.
Allen keeps all of his own personal pets in the store. “I don’t keep anything at home. Because this is where I live, I’m here every day,” he says. Allen brings out one of his favorites: a piebald python named Emoji, for her unusual markings. Emoji quickly became a hit with customers. Several have offered to buy her, but Allen couldn’t bear to let Emoji go.
He has built up a loyal following — customers travel from across the Midwest to shop at Reptile Rapture. “This is what we do. I don’t do anything else,” says Allen. “The pet stores around here actually send us a lot of business. A lot of them shop here themselves.”
Reptile Rapture
6308 Monona Drive, Monona, 608-221-0094, reptilerapture.net
11 am-7 pm Mon.-Fri., 11 am-6 pm Sat., 11 am-4 pm Sun.
